1. Field
This application relates to an interactive system that encourages users to partake in substantial physical exercise.
2. Description of Related Art
Childhood obesity in America is on the rise. Between 5-25 percent of children and teenagers in the United States are obese (Dietz, 1983). As with adults, the prevalence of obesity in the young varies by ethnic group. It is estimated that 5-7 percent of White and Black children are obese, while 12 percent of Hispanic boys and 19 percent of Hispanic girls are obese (Office of Maternal and Child Health, 1989).
Obesity presents numerous problems for the child. In addition to increasing the risk of obesity in adulthood, childhood obesity is the leading cause of pediatric hypertension, is associated with Type II diabetes mellitus, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, increases stress on the weight-bearing joints, lowers self-esteem, and affects relationships with peers. These problems are compounded by the social and psychological problems faced by children as a consequence of childhood obesity.
The three main identified causes for childhood obesity are family, low-energy expenditure and heredity. While causes such as family and hereditary require long term commitments and research, an increase in energy expenditure in children as well as adults may achieve almost immediate positive results in combating obesity.
To accomplish increased physical activity, and thereby combat obesity, the following methods of intervention treatment have been identified as considerably valuable in combating obesity, regardless of the cause; Physical Activity, Diet Management and Behavior Modification.
Physical activity, through a formal exercise program, or simply becoming more active, is valuable for burning fat, increasing energy expenditure, and maintaining lost weight. Most studies of children have not shown exercise to be a successful strategy for weight loss unless coupled with another intervention, such as nutrition education or behavior modification (Wolf et al., 1985). However, exercise has additional health benefits. Even when children's body weight and fatness did not change following 50 minutes of aerobic exercise three times per week, blood lipid profiles and blood pressure did improve (Becque, Katch, Rocchini, Marks, & Moorehead, 1988).
Many behavioral strategies used with adults have been successfully applied to children and adolescents: self-monitoring and recording food intake and physical activity, slowing the rate of eating, limiting the time and place of eating, and using rewards and incentives for desirable behaviors. Particularly effective are behaviorally based treatments that include parents (Epstein et al., 1987). Graves, Meyers, and Clark (1988) used problem-solving exercises in a parent-child behavioral program and found children in the problem-solving group, but not those in the behavioral treatment-only group, significantly reduced percent overweight and maintained reduced weight for six months.
Some systems such as the Nintendo Wii™ allow the user to expend more energy than playing sedentary computer games. However the energy used when playing these games is not of high enough intensity to contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise in children (BBC, 2007). Nintendo's latest iteration of an Exergame, the Wii-Fit™, provides 40 different activities; however none of them involve any outdoor activity and still require the user to be located in front of a television in order to play the game. The Exergame system requires an initial investment of hundreds of dollars for a console and the game.
Other systems that help joggers and runner's capture their physical exercise activity are only limited to capturing exercise metrics from running. Systems such as Nike Plus™ also only target users who are already health conscious and are engaging in physical activity, and only need a visualization tool to help keep track of their own user defined goals. None of the systems in the above category is tasked at educating and encouraging users to undergo substantial physical exercise, and at the same time keep them engaged.
Therefore a need exists for a system targeted towards addressing obesity, and childhood obesity in particular, using a medium that is successful with children and teenagers.